Custom Web Control - ParseChildren & Resource Objects

Question

I hope someone can help me. I have the following custom server control:

[ParseChildren(true)]
public class MyControl : WebControl, INamingContainer
{
    [PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerProperty)]
    public string MyProperty
    {
      get;set;
    }
}

It works perfectly with the following mark-up:

<acme:MyControl runat="sever">
    <MyProperty>Test String</MyProperty>
</acme:MyControl>

But if I try to localise the property string, I get a parse error:

<acme:MyControl runat="sever">
    <MyProperty><%=(string)GetLocalResourceObject("MyResourceKey") %></MyProperty>
</acme:MyControl>

Even if I cast the type, ASP.NET indicates that the property cannot accept controls as children. How should the expression look like if I want to localise it? I can make the property accessible as an attribute of the control's tag, but I prefer the mark-up above, it looks more elegant and clean.

Thanks

Answer 1

Add a second property called MyPropertyResourceKey, so your final code would be:

[ParseChildren(true)]

public class MyControl : WebControl, INamingContainer { [PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerProperty)] public string MyProperty { get;set; }

string _propertyResourceKey;
[PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerProperty)]
public string MyPropertyResourceKey
{
  get {
     return _propertyResourceKey;
  }
  set {
     _propertyResourceKey = value;

     MyProperty = (string)GetLocalResourceObject(_propertyResourceKey);
  }
}

}

EDIT: Based on comments, it seems that there may also be a demand for a more flexible method. Generally, if you are looking assign a dynamic value to a control, you will want to either create a Data Bound control (if applicable) http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms366540.aspx.

If, on the other hand, the control does't know how its will usually be assigned, the accepted method is to assign the property value in the code-behind of the page.